Switching apparatus and method for varying an impedance of a phase line of a segment of an electrical power line

A switching module for varying impedances of two phase lines of two adjacent segments of an electrical power line, the switching module comprising two switching apparatus each comprising:

• at least one first vacuum interrupter connected in series with at least one of the conductors of the corresponding phase line;
• each phase line including n conductors electrically insulated from each other and short-circuited together at two ends of the segment, n being equal to or greater than 2;
• at least one first controllable motor for selectively opening and closing the at least one vacuum interrupter;
• a detector for detecting a parameter representative of current operating conditions of the corresponding phase line;
• and
• a controller for controlling the at least one first controllable motor according to the parameter detected by the detector, the two switching apparatus being mounted back to back.

A method for varying an impedance of a phase line of a segment of an electrical power line, the method comprising steps of:

• a) providing at least one first vacuum interrupter connected in series with at least one conductor of the phase line;
• the phase line including n of the conductors electrically insulated from each other, n being equal to or greater than 2, the n conductors being short-circuited together at two ends of the segment;
• b) providing at least one first controllable motor for selectively opening and closing the at least one first vacuum interrupter;
• c) detecting a parameter representative of current operating conditions of the phase line;
• and
• d) controlling the at least one first controllable motor according to the parameter detected in step c).